Kessler planned the Aug. 12 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville. A woman was killed when a car plowed into a group of people at the rally, where white nationalists and counterprotesters clashed.

The perjury charge stems from a sworn statement Kessler made in January, alleging he was punched while gathering signatures for a petition to remove a city councilman. Kessler later pleaded guilty to assaulting the man he accused.